Living in Spain |
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Assistance with Paperwork Many people, including Spanish nationals, find that using the services of a “Gestor” or “assessor” is the best way to cope with paperwork. The “Gestor” is not a lawyer as such but will negotiate the paperwork on your behalf. New residents can do most of the work themselves, but if they have little time or do not speak fluent Spanish or are confused by the Spanish administration system, the “Gestor” can be useful. They will be able to help with all of the items below: NIE numbers One of the first things that you will need to do as part of the property purchase process is to obtain an NIE (Número de Identificación Extranjero) or identification number. This is your unique identification number in Spain and will appear on all official documents. You will need this to buy a house or car in Spain, or to apply for residency, a resident’s bank account or to get a job. The NIE number is obtained from the Ministerio Del Interior. If you speak Spanish you will be able to obtain this number yourself, simply download (www.mir.es) and complete the form and take it to the office closest to you (generally “oficina del extranjero” or main police stations in larger towns). You will also need to take your passport (and a photocopy) and something to explain why you are requesting an NIE, such as work contract, non resident bank account details etc. Once you have lodged the request for an NIE number, it will take about a month to come through, and you will generally have to return to collect it in person. Residency The rules on Residency have changed dramatically and the procedures have been made simpler. However you will need to check your individual situation with your lawyer or assessor to see whether or not you are required to obtain a residency card. In general if you are planning to live and work in Spain for longer than 3 months then you will need to apply for residency. However even if you are not required to apply, it may make things easier, as the residency card is easier to carry around than your passport and can be used as ID when paying by credit card etc. The successful completion of the Residency Application process will issue you with an ID card with your NIE number on it, which you need to carry with you at all times. The procedure varies depending on your reasons for application, ie whether you are working or not, self employed, retired etc. Again the website of the Ministerio del Interior www.mir.es has information on the requirements, forms to download etc. Social Security Number Once you are working, your employer will apply for a social security number for you. This number stays with you for all subsequent jobs. If you are self employed you apply for this number yourself. Medical Card When this comes through you will get a paper card with the number on it. To obtain a medical card, you will need to take this card and your residency card to your local doctor’s office and request a medical card. This is a very simple procedure and it should generally take a few weeks for the card to come through. Any time you visit the doctor you will have to show this card. Empadronamiento If you are living in Spain, you will need to register with the town council where you live. There are a few reasons for this, primarily to ensure that you are on the census list. When the town gets funding from the regional or national government it is based on population. It has happened in areas with large expat populations that very few people have registered get little or no funding. In addition when registering children for public schools, priority is given to families registered as living in the area. |
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